#21

Roseto, PA:

‘Spaghetti, they tell ya, not the best thing for ya all the time, ya know…but I tell ya, if I’m gonna go, I’m gonna go with a meathball in my mouth!’

https://www.amazon.com/Roseto-Story-Anatomy-Health/dp/0806136138

https://x.com/s_decatur/status/1832194388887244884

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#22

What do you think it’s the secret of longevity in Hong Kong?

#23

These are the habits that Hong Kongers have that I think leads to a longer lifespan.

  1. Mobility - Cars are for the rich. Public transportation is cheap and readily available. They do a lot of walking/standing. People are thin in general.

  2. Nutrition - Steamed fresh food is available daily. The seafood I eat at dinner at home was usually swimming that morning. Lots of vegetables. Portions are half the size of American. No unlimited soda drinks.

  3. Public healthcare - If you’re sick, you have excellent medical care and medications on par with the USA (except for the newest most expensive treatments). My father-in-law with metastatic pancreatic cancer is still alive 4 years after diagnosis. His surgery and chemotherapies were free (except the last one).

  4. Cheap helpers - Elderly usually have 1-2 live in Filipina helpers who cook, clean, take them for a walk, go shopping, take them to the doctor, etc… Much better than a nursing home as it’s individual care. We have a helper who cooks healthy and nutritious food which we normally wouldn’t cook ourselves because it takes too much time for prep and clean up. My wife and I haven’t cooked for ourselves in years.

  5. Family - Families live nearby. I am surprised how many of my sons’ friends have grandparents or great grandparents in their 90s-100s. They either live with their grandchildren or are visited weekly. Families support their members and stay close.

  6. Incredibly safe - traffic accidents are fender benders because speed limits are low. Guns are illegal. Crime is almost non-existent. Drugs are treated harshly so not many ODs.

I think those are the top 6 factors off the top of my head.

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#24

Sounds like a great life! I think I will move to Hong Kong when I am old. Actually I have some Chinese friends working in tech in SF, all talking about moving back to China when they retire. When asked why, they say life stops at 5pm here in US where in China or Hong Kong, you can continue to be active in the evening outdoor.

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#25

Some Cons of Hong Kong are:

  1. Very small living spaces so people usually go out a lot.

  2. Hong Kong is a lot more expensive than mainland China. It used to be more expensive that the USA, but due to the super inflation in the USA and Western World, it’s not as bad. Mainland China is dirt cheap in some locations, but then you really need to learn the language.

  3. There is no freedom of speech when it comes to the government. (Recent development)

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#26

There are some countries like Spain where most life happens in the late evening and night. Could be a cheaper alternative to HK.

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#27

I also remembered Hong Kong people don’t eat much fry foods. Much less AGEs

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#28

There’s a 6th Blue Zone - Singapore. I’d also add Hong Kong as a 7th.

Singapore is a fun place to visit. Lots of touristy stuff to do, but incredibly hot. Hottest place I’ve visited outside of the Nevada dessert. Also the cleanest and safest as crime is non-existent.

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#29

Thank you for sharing. I have relatives in Singapore and in southern Malaysia, and I have spent quite some time there. Yes, Singapore is hot all year round.

One should not generalize too bluntly about the fact that both Singapore and Hong Kong have a high population density per Square km, and those areas still show impressive longevity. To me, that correlation leans towards the idea that GNP per capita, social engineering through central planning for a healthy living habitat and modern healthcare are more important factors than living in a less crowded modern environment that is closer to a more natural habitat with significantly less airborne pollution.

Diet, social interaction, and bipedal movement (walking) can, of course, also have some effect on longevity.

And quite a lot of the people that approach old age today grew up close to poverty. Unhealthy western dietary habits and obesity have not, until more recent decades, influenced the general health of the public.Just like what I have observed in Malaysia, 25 years ago, it was uncommon to see an overweight kid in Malaysia, but today you see quite a lot more. That observation is only valid for Malaysia, but it shows that modernization is a double-edged sword.

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#30

Agree. Singapore clean, safe, warm and humid. I’ll go with Djibouti as hottest place I’ve ever been.

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#31

Is there non-touristy stuff in Singapore? I know I could look this up but I’ve always been lazy for some reason about this place in particular. It’s a place I’ve considered on my list to at least visit once given the history of rapid progress, diversity, the food especially. But does anyone visit there for other reasons?

#32

Well, there’s the people that live there, and the rest would be considered tourists or there for business. It’s the new financial hub of SE Asia having taken the position from Hong Kong. The bank I used to work for would train their employees in Singapore. (Although it was as much holiday as training). When it was my turn to go, they changed the location to Stamford CT to save costs. :sob:

#33

David Rehkopf, ScD, associate professor of epidemiology and population health researches longevity, healthy aging and social determinants of health, among other areas. As Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences, Rehkopf connects researchers with communities and valuable data to improve health equity, focusing on areas of the world known as blue zones. His research also delves into the biological signals that may act as early warning signs of systemic disease, in particular accelerated aging.

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